State of our farm

[EXman369]

Just wondering what you guys think about our farm now after loosing 2 of our top 5 prospects. We seem to be short of everything and the upper levels

[Palodios]

Well, you need to look at where the team's depth is, and the positions that are set.

 

5 starting pitchers

1B, 2B, 3B, OF x2

 

The only positions that will need replacing in the next year or so are SS, bullpen, OF, C, DH and bench. Shortstop should be covered by Lowrie/Iglesias. OF should be covered between Reddick, Kalish, Westmoreland etc. C may be covered by Salty--possibly Martin-- but it is a position that they can be OK with a mediocre player, because there really aren't that many good catchers out there. DH, there are always big bats that can't field who become available every offseason. Bench, same there. Bullpen may be a problem if they don't put money into it.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the farm has done what it needed to do-- and that is put an elite group of players on the field, with Pedroia, Youk, Bard, Ellsbury, Lester, Buchholz as one of the strongest groups of home-grown players out there, and all of those guys are locked up atleast two more years. All the other holes can be filled-- plus, they'll get as many as 5 first rounders this year to restock.

[EXman369]

Well, you need to look at where the team's depth is, and the positions that are set.

 

5 starting pitchers

1B, 2B, 3B, OF x2

 

As far as I'm concerned, the farm has done what it needed to do-- and that is put an elite group of players on the field, with Pedroia, Youk, Bard, Ellsbury, Lester, Buchholz as one of the strongest groups of home-grown players out there, and all of those guys are locked up atleast two more years. All the other holes can be filled-- plus, they'll get as many as 5 first rounders this year to restock.

 

what would you currently rate our farm though in terms on prospects before we were always high regarded?

[Will617]

The best prospects are 2-3 years away. And our top avaliable talent (Doubront, Iglesias, Kalish) are geared towards filling holes that our roster will have soon (Doubront helps fill relief pitching). Our roster's currently set for the next 3 years, so having talent that won't arrive for awhile is perfect, as Palodios says.

[Will617]

what would you currently rate our farm though in terms on prospects before we were always high regarded?

 

Not one of the best systems, but only due to the lack of ML-ready talent. Kelly was projected to be a 1-2 starter, and Rizzo was projected to be a good-but-not-Adrian-Gonzalez 1B, and Fuentes I don't think was projected that highly. So losing those 3 is certainly a hit, but the strength is and was (before the trade) our lower-level prospects.

[italstallianion]

I think that we'll rise quite a bit after this years draft though. Not only is it said to be a deep draft, but we have a lot of picks and Theo loves the high cieling guys.

[italstallianion]

If I recall correctly, before the trade we were a few spots above dead center in terms of prospect rankings (with the Yankees a few spots behind us) so I'd imagine we'd fall quite a few places after the trade. That said, I think we'd rise back up and then some after the draft, so as long as we can sign Adrian Gonzalez to a long term deal, then I think that it'll be worth it.

[EXman369]

I love watching the sox pillage the draft because a lot of the lower market teams can't afford the contracts, and 5 of the top 50 picks in the draft... wow

[Palodios]

what would you currently rate our farm though in terms on prospects before we were always high regarded?

 

I'd rate the system as "poor" at best. When guys like Lars Anderson, Navarro, and Reddick are in your system's top 10, its a big problem, and with Doubront, Kalish, Iglesias coming out of the system soon, I don't see another wave coming through for another two or three years after that. Losing Kelly, Rizzo, Fuentes, plus Westmoreland's complications, and with Bowden and Anderson being complete flops-- the farm has a lot of rebuilding to do.

 

That being said, the team is locked at several key positions for quite a few years with elite players, and doesn't necessarily need farm to replenish them, as long as there aren't any key injuries like in 2010. As long as the new wave of pitching can start peaking in 2013, I don't see it being a huge problem.

[Rdsxmbnt]

There's a lot of high potential guys who could become the next blue-chippers. Iglesias/Ranuado/Britton/Vitek/Middlebrooks/Tejeda/Workman/Coyle/Cecchini all are high potential prospects and possibly just one good season away from being highly regarded and sought after prospects. I think the farm is in fine shape considering the Agon trade.

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd rate the system as "poor" at best. When guys like Lars Anderson, Navarro, and Reddick are in your system's top 10, its a big problem, and with Doubront, Kalish, Iglesias coming out of the system soon, I don't see another wave coming through for another two or three years after that. Losing Kelly, Rizzo, Fuentes, plus Westmoreland's complications, and with Bowden and Anderson being complete flops-- the farm has a lot of rebuilding to do.

 

That being said, the team is locked at several key positions for quite a few years with elite players, and doesn't necessarily need farm to replenish them, as long as there aren't any key injuries like in 2010. As long as the new wave of pitching can start peaking in 2013, I don't see it being a huge problem.

 

This is why Theo went with AdGon. You dont have redundancy in the upper levels, so you deal what you have for a prime target and hope the lower level talent can build enough to fill in the gaps in the system by the time you need them

[EXman369]

There's a lot of high potential guys who could become the next blue-chippers. Iglesias/Ranuado/Britton/Vitek/Middlebrooks/Tejeda/Workman/Coyle/Cecchini all are high potential prospects and possibly just one good season away from being highly regarded and sought after prospects. I think the farm is in fine shape considering the Agon trade.

 

Almost all of those players we have only had for up to one year, i hope they can advance fast and fulfill their potential, the one thing about he sox farm is we never really rush our prospects, give them the time they need to develop.

[Poopsicle]

Farm? I love farms! I need someone to fertilize my crops. Any takers?

[VA Sox Fan]

Farm? I love farms! I need someone to fertilize my crops. Any takers?

 

I know suns will but I am not gonna miss ya.

[EXman369]

How do you know that his name is suns?